Ghosts and Fate
by Lipsticked Mirror
Summary: Leah is not ready for Sam and Emily's wedding. On the eve of the "great" event, Leah is visited by the three ghosts of her life--past, present, and future. Will Leah see why her life is as it is and finally embrace what Fate has in store for her?
1. No Happy Ending

Well it's been building up inside of me  
For, oh, I don't know how long.  
I don't know why  
But I keep thinking  
Something's bound to go wrong.

—_Don't Worry Baby_ by the Beach Boys

* * *

Gosh. You'd think she'd be over it already.

Leah Clearwater was curled up on her bedroom window ledge with her favorite book of fairy tales in her lap. Nothing was more soothing than listening to the rain gently tap on the window while reading a book. However, she couldn't concentrate; she was too scared of what the next day would bring: the anniversary of her heartbreak.

It's been almost three years—_three years_ since Sam saw Emily and broke her heart. And Leah still feels the pain. What hurt even more was the knowledge that Sam and Emily's wedding was tomorrow. They decided to commemorate the day that "their eyes met for the first time" with their marriage. However romantic that was, Sam and Emily didn't realize that it was also the day that they hurt Leah.

She looked down in her lap and smiled sadly. Leah knew she was too old for fairy tales, but living vicariously through other's happy endings was better than living her own miserable one. She flipped the heavy book open to the bookmarked page. _The Little Mermaid._ How fitting.

Leah was extremely familiar with this particular tale. How could she not be? Her story was much like the unnamed mermaid's: falling in love with the handsome prince, who dumps her for the other beautiful princess. She was convinced that she would not get a happy ending, just like the little mermaid. Leah could only hope that she wouldn't end up like the poor girl, however. She didn't exactly want die by romanticide.

It felt like it was only yesterday when Sam told her that he couldn't love her anymore.

_Flashback_

_Leah ran home that day and, being the brave and strong soul she was, curled into a little ball and refused to see anyone. She needed the time to be miserable._

_Harry came up to her room that night to see Leah sitting on that window ledge, staring out into the rain. The sobbing had stopped only to be replaced by the silent tears cascading down her beautiful face. Harry looked around the room and found what he was looking for, grabbing that heavy book of fairy tales._

_Harry hesitated. "Lee, honey? You want to talk about it?"_

"_No," Leah answered. "I'd rather not."_

_He thought for a moment. "Why don't you come sit here with me for a little bit, Leah?" He sat down on her big bed and patted the spot next to him. "I can read you a story, just like when you were a little girl. How 'bout it? For old time's sake?"_

_Leah sighed and gave a small smile. She slowly got up and climbed under her sheets on her bed._

_Harry put his arm around Leah as they both leaned back into her pillows. Leah took to her old position of curling up in her father's arms and sighed. "Okay, let's do this."_

_Thus, Leah listened to her father read the story of the little mermaid who gave up everything—family, friends, and life—to be with her "love." _

"_That was kind of depressing," Leah remarked as her father put a bookmark in its place. "And way too relevant."_

_Harry gave his daughter a sympathetic look. "Honey, one day you'll realize that it's not the end of the world. It might not be today, it might not be tomorrow, but one day you'll look back and see that it was for the best in the end."_

_Leah barked a harsh laugh. "Yeah, right. Unless I end up like the mermaid and off myself. That might be the best for everyone, to not let them all endure my pain."_

"_Lee, darling, don't even think about it," Harry gasped. "Sam is just one boy. One boy out of the many that my amazing kid is going to have."_

_The tears started to build up again in Leah's eyes. "But, Dad, I _loved_ him. I still love him. I thought he was the one." Leah's shoulders shook as the tears tumbled down. "He promised to love me forever. That we'd get married. That we would have our happy ending…"_

_Harry sighed. "I know, honey. I know." He rubbed her back as he said, "I'm not going to pretend that everything is alright right now. But don't forget that Sam is just one fish in a sea of people. Your family is always there for you: Mom, Seth, and I will always be there to support you, no matter what."_

_End of Flashback._

Leah touched the bookmark that marked _The Little Mermaid_. She missed her father so much. And on the day that she needed him the most, he wasn't there. He was the only one that really related to her, was the only one that didn't pretend with her. Leah really needed that right now.

But at that moment, someone else needed her attention. Leah heard her phone begin to ring, interrupting the peaceful silence.

Without even checking the caller I.D., Leah answered. "Yeah?"

"Leah?" Jacob. Of course. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, why?"

Jacob hesitated. "You sound kind of odd. Quiet, really."

"What else did you expect, oh almighty Alpha?" she teased. "It's my day off, and I'm enjoying the silence that I don't often get around the pack."

She heard him laugh. "Okay, just wanted to check up on you. Do you need a ride for tomorrow?"

It was Leah's turn to hesitate. "Um, I have to be there early, remember? Bridesmaid duties, and stuff." The thought of _the event_, as she preferred to call it, brought her out of her happy reverie.

"It's okay, I have to be there too, remember? Sam's recruited me as part of his wedding party," Jacob said. "Oh, and according to him, I'm walking you down the aisle. You all right with that?"

"Like I have any choice in the matter," Leah said. Then she realized how rude she sounded. "Sorry. But yeah, I could use the ride. Thanks."

"Sure, sure, no problem," Jake said, eagerly.

Leah had to laugh at his eagerness and excitement at the thought. The kid was eighteen—and a gigantic Alpha wolf, for that matter—and yet he still maintained his childish antics.

"Nine o'clock all right with you?" Leah asked.

"Sure, sure," Jake repeated. "It's a date!"

After Leah flipped her phone shut, she changed into her pajamas and climbed into her bed. If she wanted to survive tomorrow, she would need a lot of sleep (along with a lot of coffee in the morning).

Leah closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep, thinking about what could have been if Sam had not met Emily. Yes, it was a daily torture method of hers, but Leah couldn't help but wonder what would have happened in a world without vampires, werewolves, and other ways that Fate had decided to mess with her.

_A few minutes later…_

"_Leah… get up, Leah. _LEAH!"

Leah's eyes flew wide open as she rapidly sat up straight. She looked in front of her at the young girl that stood at the foot of her bed.

"Who _are_ you?" Leah asked. The young dark-skinned girl with long black hair looked familiar, but she couldn't quite place her. "Emily?"

The girl giggled unabashedly with the sound of bells. "_I _am the ghost of your past, Leah Clearwater. I'm the first of three ghosts that will visit you tonight in order to prepare you for what tomorrow will bring you.

"I'm going to show you happier times, times that will remind you of how you were once happy. At the end of the night, you'll see why this was all meant to be. You'll see what fate has in store for you," the little girl said.

When Little Emily grasped her wrist, Leah gasped as she felt like she was being pulled into a whirlwind.

* * *

**A/N: What do you think? Please review! If things are a bit confusing, just know that everything should fall into place in the end.**

**P.S. I own nothing. **


	2. Oh, the Memories!

I know a place that we can run to  
And do those things we want to  
They won't know who we are

Let me take you there  
I wanna take you there

I know a place that we've forgotten  
A place we won't get caught in  
They won't know who we are  
I know a place where we can hide out  
And turn our hearts inside out  
They won't know who we are

Let me take you there  
I wanna take you there

--Let Me Take You There by the Plain White T's

* * *

"What the heck? Where am I?" Leah asked incredulously. "What have you done to me?"

Little Emily smiled serenely. "Look right in front of you."

Leah turned her head and gasped. She was standing in her bedroom as it was ten years ago. The simple white walls and crimson bed covers of her room in the present were replaced by the pink—well, everything—with flowery décor. It seemed so surreal.

She looked lower and saw her old dollhouse, her favorite toy of the past. But it wasn't standing alone. No, Leah saw two little girls playing with their Barbie dolls and the house was set up like a church. The little eight-year-old girls looked familiar, and Leah soon realized that one of them was her.

"Emily, I want you to be my maid of honor when I get married," eight-year-old Leah said confidently. "It's supposed to be the most important day of my life, and I want you there right beside me."

Little Emily looked ecstatic. "Of course I will! Oh, thank you, Leah!" She held her Barbie doll closer to her. "I can't wait! I'm going to help you make it the most perfect day ever! We need to start planning right away…"

Leah laughed. "Em, I'm not going to get married for a long time. I'm only eight! Plus, I need to get myself engaged first," she said.

"Well, do you know who you want to get married to?" Emily asked.

"Um…well, sort of." Leah blushed. The older Leah looked shocked as she remembered what it was that she said. "I kind of like Sam."

Emily looked puzzled. "Who is Sam?"

Leah blushed even harder. She said shyly, "Sam's my best friend. He's really nice and funny. He promised to marry me one day, you know."

"Well, then, now you know who you're going to marry!" Emily exclaimed. "You're going to have your happily ever after, you know that, Leah? You're like the princesses in all the stories... I hope I will be like that one day."

The older Leah hadn't realized that she had begun to cry. Emily, the best friend that just said she wanted her happy ending, was getting her happy ending at the sacrifice of Leah's. Twelve years ago, Leah had her life planned out—marriage, friendship, and the whole nine yards. She depended on her fairy tale to come true. But now, it was all unraveled. Her best friend was living Leah's happy ending.

The ghost touched her hand softly. "Leah, can't you see? You were happy even before you and Sam were together. Emily was happy for you; you two were like sisters! And she still wants to be your best friend."

Leah snarled. "She gave up that right the moment she looked at Sam. Because of stupid imprinting, he's gone. My fairy tale is no more. Can't _you_ see?"

The ghost gave a serene smile. "Leah, it was all a childhood dream. The princesses in fairy tales always go through the trials and tribulations in order to find true love. Just because you tripped on the journey doesn't mean that you can't still find your happy ending."

Leah turned back to the happy picture and sighed. "We were so happy, you know. _I _was happy. I just wish…I don't know. Something."

"Let's check out something else, and then you can decide what you wish for," the ghost said.

* * *

As soon as the surroundings cleared up, Leah took to looking around. A park. Really? She couldn't quite remember what happened at the La Push Park that was quite so memorable— until she saw herself and Sam walking towards the swing set.

Sam looked adorably nervous. Leah smiled to herself. _Of course,_ she thought. Her facial features shifted so rapidly, however, from serene to anger. She turned on the ghost.

"Why did you bring me here? This isn't helping! I doubt that seeing Sam ask me out will change anything," she huffed. Leah crossed her arms and scowled. "Tomorrow was supposed to be the worst day of my life. Not the night before."

Leah's face softened as she heard giggling. She turned and saw Sam tickling her fifteen-year-old self.

"Sam, STOP IT!" young Leah squealed. "This is not funny!"

Sam just grinned like there was no tomorrow, but he relented. "As you wish," he said.

"So, what was so important that you had to tear me away from my trig homework? You know I have that huge test tomorrow," Leah said.

Sam got off his swing and kneeled in front of her. Leah watched as she saw herself widening her eyes.

"Uh, Sam? What's going on? Are you okay?"

He sighed and looked down at the ground. "Lee, I have a confession to make." Sam looked up with those gorgeous brown eyes of his and pushed his hair behind his ear. He grabbed her hands and held on like he was afraid she would float away.

"Lee-lee. I-I…I think that…well, I think that I'm in love with you," Sam stuttered.

Leah looked shocked. "W-w-what?"

Sam grasped her hand even tighter, and the older Leah looked on. She knew what would come next.

"Leah, I've loved you ever since we were kids. We've been together every step of the way so far as best friends. But now…now I think that we should be more," Sam said breathlessly. "I think that I want to spend the rest of my life with you, Lee-lee. I've never felt this way about anyone. I'll always love you."

Leah looked hesitant, albeit happy. She gave a small smile and her eyes twinkled with hope. "I think I love you too, Sam Uley."

The older Leah reluctantly looked away when she saw herself and her old love take their first kiss. She closed her eyes, willing the pain to go away. This was torture, seeing her old happiness. It hurt even more knowing that Sam will not _always_ love her.

Little Emily the ghost turned toward her and said, "Leah, it's okay. Can't you see that at least you had some happiness? You had your time with him. You spent a great two years together based on love."

Leah looked at the ghost with sad eyes. "I was happy with Sam, yes. I just…I just don't think I can be happy without him."

The ghost grabbed onto her hand and pulled her away from the old memory.

* * *

Leah was back in her room. There were no more pink and no more dollhouses. Just her simple white-walled bedroom with everything neatly in its place.

She turned to the bed, in which she saw herself laying there moaning.

The door creaked open. "Lee, honey? How are you feeling?" asked a comforting voice.

Leah looked up to see Harry walk in with a tray of food.

He placed the tray on her desk and then sat down beside her. "I brought you dinner. Your favorite fish fry, though I'm not sure if that'll make you feel better," he said. "And a lot of liquids. You need a lot to suppress that fever of yours."

The girl under the blankets continued to moan. "Thanks, Dad. But I still don't feel good."

Harry grinned and pulled out a DVD. "That's why I brought you this. _The Princess Bride_. It always makes you feel better when you're sick."

Leah sat up as her dad slipped the DVD into the slot of her laptop. They watched the movie together, laughing at the same time in all the right places. The older Leah looked on and smiled. She remembered the happy times with her dad, but she was just waiting for the explosion that she knew was inevitable in this memory.

By the time Buttercup realized that the "pirate" was really Wesley after he yelled, "As you wish!" Leah was no longer smiling. In fact, she looked rather mad.

Once Harry realized that Leah wasn't laughing with him anymore, he turned to her and asked, "What's wrong?"

Leah looked up with blazing eyes. "_As you wish_," she said mockingly. "That stupid line…_he_ always said it, meaning to say that he loved me. It's an absolutely disgusting lie."

Harry looked worried as he saw Leah begin to shake. The older Leah was shaking as well, but not out of anger. It was out of fear.

Leah watched as she saw herself rant and scream at her father about that "lowlife Samuel Uley." Harry was backing away and trying to calm her down. But Leah would have none of it.

Suddenly, there was an angry gray wolf standing in Leah's place.

Harry stared for a moment. "It's impossible," he muttered. "Impossible." And then, he reached for his chest as his face turned bright red.

The wolf howled, and then there was a scurry up the staircase. Sue and Seth ran into Leah's room and found Harry convulsing on the floor. Sue tended to Harry as Seth grabbed the phone to call 911. As soon as Seth clicked off the phone, he finally noticed the big wolf in his sister's room.

"Leah?" he hesitated. "Is that you?"

The present-day Leah was in tears at the sight. She killed her father, her only real friend.

"Why? Why did you bring me back here?" Leah cried to the ghost. "I thought I was supposed to see happier times?"

"I brought you here to see the _real_ beginning of your journey. This is where it all started," Little Emily's spirit said. At the same time, the ghost was growing dimmer and dimmer. "It seemed like it was the end of your world when it was just the beginning." And at that note, the ghost disappeared.

* * *

Leah sat on the floor, defeated. She just relived the worst moment of her life, and the ghost left her there. How much worse could this get?

"Hey, you," another voice said.

Leah looked up and sighed. "I guess you must be the ghost of my present. Wonderful. That other ghost just left me here."

"Yeah, sorry. The ghost of the past is kind of a flake. She seems all angelic and profound, but really she just wants to go home and do her nails," the ghost of the present joked.

"Anyway, this ain't over yet, Leah," the ghost said. "Come on. Let's get this show on the road!"

* * *

**A/N: Yeah, the end is kind of weird. Sorry about that. Anyway, thanks to you guys that reviewed. It totally made my day. Please keep reviewing! (Pleasing the readers is what keeps the creative juices flowing, you know.)**

**So any ideas as to who the ghost of Leah's present is? Hmm... o.O**


	3. Feeling the Love

I will survive  
As long as i know how to love  
I know I will stay alive  
I've got all my life to live  
I've got all my love to give  
and I'll survive  
I will survive

--_I Will Survive_ by Gloria Gaynor

* * *

The ghost of Leah's present, huh? Well, it was kind of hard for Leah to take him seriously. He _did_ look a lot like Seth. And no one took him seriously enough.

"So, let me get this straight. Are you Seth? Or are you just a spirit-that-looks-like-him-in-order-to get-my-attention kind of thing?"

The spirit laughed with Seth's laugh. Even stranger. "Well, you could say that I am the spirit of Seth, so I guess that is sort of something in between."

Leah let out a breathy laugh and said, "Okay, I guess that makes some sense. So what is _your_ purpose?"

"I am supposed to show you everyone who loves you in the present, despite everything that you've done," said Seth. "Just because this whole Sam thing has changed you, it doesn't mean that no one cares. Everyone still cares about you, even if you have become a bitter harpy."

"Joy," Leah said, rolling her eyes. "Bring it on, Sethy-poo."

* * *

This time, Leah was standing in her kitchen. Much to her surprise, she saw Sue humming as she buzzed around the kitchen and their family friend Charlie sat at the kitchen table.

"Charlie, taste this," Sue commanded. "Is it too sweet? Too salty? Too bitter?"

Charlie licked the spoon and looked at Sue thoughtfully. "It's just right. Why the worry, Sue? Your baking is always amazing."

Sue sighed. "I just thought that Leah could use some great pick-me-ups. She can never be unhappy with a few homemade baked goods." She looked toward the massive pile of red velvet cupcakes with cream cheese frosting, lemon bars, and white chocolate chip cookies. Leah's mouth watered at the sight.

"I just want her to get through this as painlessly as possible," she added. "I love her so much. I was never great with all of Leah's teenage stuff, let alone all of her current problems. Harry always handled that…"

Charlie got up and hugged Sue. "I know it's been hard to take care of everything, especially since Harry's been gone. But just so you know, you're doing a great job. And I'm sure Leah thinks so too."

Leah almost burst into tears. She turned to Seth and hugged him tightly.

"Does Mom really have that hard a time with me? And she still puts up with me… Oh, God, Seth. What kind of horrible person am I?"

Seth just rubbed her back comfortingly. Gosh, even in spirit form he was as monstrously tall as ever. "Lee, she loves you. We all love you. It's all just a weird transition right now, and it doesn't help that so much is going on. But don't ever think that she doesn't love you. I mean, all you have to do is see how much sugar she made for you! And you know that she doesn't usually approve of our consumption of food products with tons of trans-fats."

She laughed. For the first time in a long time, Leah Clearwater laughed.

* * *

"Okay…now where am I?" Leah asked.

Seth looked a bit uneasy. He turned to her and said, "Uh, for this one, you're going to need to phase. This takes place in wolf form."

Leah shrugged and slipped off her pajamas. After tying them around her ankle, she morphed into the giant silver-gray wolf that she is. Leah thanked her wolfy super-hearing when she heard Jake and Seth run into the clearing before she heard their thoughts.

_So how's Leah holding up, Seth?_ Jake asked. _Is she still taking the whole wedding thing hard?_

Seth made a growl-like sound, which was surprising since it was _Seth_. I mean, come on. _What do you think, Jake? The former love of her life is marrying someone else. Doesn't it sound awfully familiar? Of course it still hurts._

Jake's tongue hung out of his mouth, panting after that long run around the tribe's perimeter. _Well, I kind of hoped that she would be over it, _he solemnly admitted.

Leah snarled. Who does Jake think he is?

_And why would you ever hope for that? She'll get__ over it on her own, if at all._

For a long while, Jacob Black's mind was completely empty. No, he didn't phase back. But obviously he was contemplating something that he didn't want Seth to hear unless he thought that the kid could handle it.

_Seth…I think…well, __honestly I don't know. But I…I just care about her, that's all._

Leah jumped in surprise at the thought, and Seth the Wolf raised his right eyebrow, just like he would have if he was in human form. _Really, now? Please, do not tell me that you have a crush on my sister. I really do not want to be hearing about your perverted thoughts about my own flesh and blood._

The great russet brown wolf sighed as he plopped himself down on the forest floor, ignoring the kid. His big brown eyes met Seth's when he thought, _I don't know how to explain it. We've just become really close ever since the breakaway, you know? Like best friends. She's…well, she's pretty damn amazing._

_I can still see that old Leah in her, you know? _Jake continued. _Sometimes she lets her guard down and smiles that old breathtaking smile that had every guy on the reservation enchanted with her. And she makes me laugh. She just…she blows my mind. I never thought I would ever get over Bella, but Leah's helped me see that it's not the end of the world._

_And that's why I hope she's over the whole Sam and Emily thing. If it's not the end of the world for me after the Bella fiasco, then it shouldn't be for Leah._

The "bitter harpy" stared at her alpha for what seemed a long time. He really felt that way about her? He didn't see her as the bitch who couldn't get over an ex, but as a "best friend" that still had a light shining out of her.

And right then she realized that he was right. Jacob Black was able to give her something that no one else had been able to for a long time: hope.

* * *

Seth had forced Leah out of her reverie by shoving her into a tree.

Stunned and annoyed, Leah phased back and changed. She glared at Seth momentarily, and then smiled hesitantly at him.

Seth grabbed her hand and said, "Lee? We have one more stop together. Let's go."

* * *

_Oh, God,_ Leah thought. _Anywhere but here, please._

Leah and Seth were standing outside of Sam and Emily's house in front of Emily's beautiful garden.

"Why are we here?" Leah demanded.

Seth replied, "You'll see." He led her up to the front door and then grabbed her hand. Next thing Leah knew, she passed through the solid wooden door.

"Emily, are you ready for tomorrow?" Leah heard Sam ask. She saw him approach the sitting Emily from behind. Leah barely winced when she saw him put his arms around her. "No cold feet, right?"

Emily giggled. "Absolutely not," she said. "I've just been thinking…"

"Thinking about what?"

Emily sighed. "It's been three years, Sam. Three years ago, we discovered that we were meant to be together. And—I'll tell you—I don't regret it a bit. I am so glad that we found each other…" she trailed off.

"But…?" Sam pressed.

His imprint looked up at him with her sad doe eyes. Leah could see Sam wince ever so slightly at the sight of Emily's scars.

"We hurt Leah, Sam. Badly. I think that's the only thing I regret out of our relationship. We lost one of the most important people in our lives," Emily said. "I just realized, yes, we're celebrating our anniversary with our wedding, but it's also the day that we hurt Leah. No wonder she is so upset…"

Sam hugged Emily even tighter. He sighed, mulling over his thought. Sam finally replied, "I don't think we'll ever be able to forgive ourselves for that."

Emily looked up at him and hesitantly asked, "Would you be with her right now if it weren't for the imprinting?"

After a few moments, Sam simply replied, "Yes, I think I would." Their eyes met, and he continued, "I did love her. So much. I thought we had a future together, so I made promises that I was sure I could keep. But then, I phased…and everything changed."

She looked away, ashamed. Leah could see the guilt on her scar-ridden face as she heard Emily quietly say, "If only we could turn back the clock… I would never have come to La Push. I would never have ruined you guys. You two would be happy…"

He saw the tears begin form in Emily's eyes before she even realized it, so he tightly held on to her hand. Sam said reassuringly, "Although I regret hurting her, I don't regret meeting you. You are the most amazing person I have ever met. And I love you."

"It just seems so unfair. While we're living the fairy tale, she's on the sidelines forced to watch," Emily sighed. "It's just not right."

Leah's face had softened without her even realizing it. The guilt that Sam and Emily emitted was so obvious that Leah questioned why it was that she never realized its magnitude before. Oh, she knows it now. She was just too self-centered that she had to constantly make herself the victim. Oops.

She felt a hand lightly touch her shoulder, and she jerked up.

"Are you okay?" Seth asked.

Leah's eyes dropped to the floor as she said guiltily, "Yeah, I guess. I…"

"You what?" Seth inquired.

"I thought that they just forgot about me. You know, after the whole imprinting thing happened." Leah shrugged. "It just seemed like I was pushed out of their lives forever. It's kind of nice to know that they still care."

Seth gave her a long, knowing look. He told her softly, "It's not too late, you know."

"It's not too late for what?"

"To fix things," Seth replied. "You can still fix this whole situation."

Leah gave her brother a questionable look and then asked incredulously, "And how do you suppose I do that?"

He gave her a small smile and answered, "You can start off by apologizing."

Leah was surprised to find that she didn't protest.

* * *

**A/N: Sorry it took so long to update. I had 3 AP tests to study for and didn't have a lot of spare time (though I wrote whenever I could). (Plus, I've been spending time editing and re-editing this chapter with the help of my friend Kelly and using my friends as soundboards for my storyline :) So there's my shout out to you, Kelly!) But now I am done and will hopefully have more time to devote to this.**

**Anyways, I figure that I need more reviews for this story. I know that getting 11 reviews for 2 chapters is a pretty awesome accomplishment, but I'm going to be a bit greedy and ask for more. I am asking for 10 to 15 more reviews before I post up chapter 4, which is in the works. But I will be gone over the weekend, so it should be up at least by Tuesday night, depending on the fact whether or not my need for story-love is satisfied.**

**And I just want to thank everyone that has reviewed and put this on their story alert and favorite stories list. It's really awesome that you guys are interested in this story.**

**So, "here's to looking at you, kid[s]." (Yes, I just watched _Casablanca_ today. It was amazing.)**

**the ****innocentromantic**


	4. One Life to Live

Illusion never changed  
Into something real  
I'm wide awake and I can see  
The perfect sky is torn.

--_Torn_ by Natalie Imbruglia

* * *

Seth grabbed her hand and said, "Lee, I've got to go now." He grinned and put on a dramatic voice as he continued, "It's time for you to face your future."

He let go and grinned widely. Leah's vision became blurry as Seth waved at her, and she was pulled into the whirlwind a moment later.

* * *

Leah blinked once. Twice. Three times.

She was back in her boring bedroom. Okay… what was this about?

A voice spoke behind her, making Leah jump. "Hey, honey."

Her jaw dropped, and she was too stunned to move. It couldn't be. Could it?

After a few moments, Leah slowly made a 180-degree turn. She had turned to face someone that she never thought she would ever see again.

* * *

"Daddy?" she whispered.

Harry Clearwater crookedly smiled his trademark smile at her from his comfortable position in Leah's desk chair. He got up and strutted over to his daughter, enveloping her in a tight hug.

"My little Lee. My, my. What has happened to you?"

"What do you mean?" she asked defensively.

He gave her a knowing look. "You've been…different. You're not my same sweet little Lee. What happened?"

Leah's face hardened. "You know what happened," she practically spit. "Stupid freaking werewolf genes. _Shapeshifting_. It has ruined my life." She looked up at him and stepped back. "It took the most important things in my life away from me. It took my femininity, my ability to have kids! I'm freaking menopausal! It took Sam away from me with imprinting." Leah didn't bother holding back the tears as she quietly whispered, "It took you away from me."

"Leah, I will always be with you," he replied. "Always. But what isn't always going to be with you is the choice of what life you want. There are different paths that you can take, but only one of them will be your future. You need to decide."

And on that note, Harry Clearwater grabbed his daughter's hand, and they were both enveloped in another belly-button gripping whirlwind.

* * *

The sound of giggles filled the air around Leah. The disorientation made her dizzy, but she could still place herself.

Apparently, she was on First Beach with Jacob Black and her baby brother. And she was giggling. This was odd.

Leah saw herself laughing and being chased around by her alpha as Seth just sat on a log, laughing at all the ridiculousness.

"JACOB!" Leah heard herself shout. "Leave me alone!"

Jacob just laughed uproariously and then sped up. Within a matter of seconds, he launched himself at Leah, and the two of them were on the ground laughing.

"You guys," Seth began. "Are we ever going to get this pack picnic started?"

"Sure thing," Leah laughed. "As soon as Jacob lets me up, we can finally eat the awesome sandwiches that Mom made."

Immediately, Jacob got to his feet and was opening the picnic basket in a matter of seconds. _Stupid wolf boys and their insatiable appetites,_ Leah thought.

She continued to watch the happy scene with Harry right by her side. As she saw herself laughing at all the stupid things that Seth said and did, Leah failed to see the small shy smiles that Jacob would give her when he looked at her and his blushes whenever she looked to talk to him.

Leah could only concentrate on how happy she was, how happy she _could_ be. Her heart fluttered at the thought that she could be happy.

"Leah, honey," Harry said softly. Leah turned around. "This is your way out. You don't have to spend the rest of your life as the…how do they say it? Oh yes, the "bitter harpy." You can be happy."

"So this is only one option? What happens if I can't be happy?" Leah asked. She had to know.

Harry took her hand, and the happy scene faded away.

* * *

The chapel looked oddly familiar. The flowers and wreaths that decorated the church sharply contrasted with the mood that filled the room. Leah was confused until she saw—front and center—the long oak box and an enlarged picture of herself. Everyone was dressed in black. Tears filled the women's eyes and the men quietly stood with grave expressions on their faces.

Seth had his arms around Sue, who was sobbing hysterically. Leah felt pride surge through her as she saw that Seth hadn't shed a single tear. There was no doubt that they were related in her mind.

Jacob was standing next to the coffin, his great shoulders shaking. Was Jacob Black actually crying?

"Damn it, Leah. What the hell were you thinking? How could you leave them like this? Leave me?" he whispered. "You just had to be so goddamn selfish. You just couldn't get over Sam and finally move on with your life."

His words tore at Leah as she realized the truth behind them. She had been selfish by letting her problems eat at her.

Hearing low voices behind her, Leah turned around to find Quil, Embry, Jared, and Paul huddled together guiltily.

"Damn. I can't wrap it around my head. Leah's…dead," Quil said. "I thought she was invincible."

Paul snorted. "We're werewolves. We _are_ invincible."

"So then how did this happen?" Jared retorted.

There was silence for a moment. They all knew what happened. Leah didn't.

Embry looked up and solemnly said, "Maybe…maybe it's a good thing that she took those pills. She's been so damn miserable for the longest time. Maybe it's better this way."

"Yeah," Paul replied. "She'll be happy without having to deal with Sam, and we'll be happy without having to deal with her."

Leah wanted to feel angry and rip out Paul's throat, but all she felt was doubt and an overwhelming sadness. She couldn't have committed suicide over Sam. That was completely impossible. She was stronger than that. She wasn't that miserable and bitter. Was she?

"She was such a bitch," Paul continued. "I'm kind of glad she's gone."

The other three nodded in agreement. Guess Leah wasn't loved so much for her attitude.

Harry held her back with a hand on her shoulder, which calmed the tremors immediately.

"Leah."

That one word triggered the tears to fall. Leah turned her tear-stained face into her father's shoulder and just cried.

"Daddy, I don't want this. This can't be it. This can't be what happens to me," Leah cried.

Harry sighed. "Leah, honey. This doesn't have to happen. You can go down another path. A better one. You just have to choose how to live.

"If you keep going the way you have been—unhappy, bitter…This is how it will be. But if you change and accept things the way they are, you have a chance, Kid. That could lead to endless possibilities. All I know is, by going down this depressed path of yours, you've got only one destiny that ends with you losing.

"You've always been the girl that won't accept losing without a fight. I hate seeing you easily defeated. I want you to be happy."

Leah looked up into her father's eyes. "You really think that I can do this."

"I believe that you can do anything."

* * *

Back in her room, Leah and Harry stood for what seemed a long while, with Leah staring at the floor and Harry biting his bottom lip.

"So," Leah awkwardly began. "Is this it?"

Leah didn't want it to be over. She didn't want to give up this precious time with her dad.

Harry reached out and put his hand to her cheek, memorizing her face. "Oh, honey. Never. It is never the end. This is just the beginning."

"But, Dad…I—I need you," Leah stuttered.

"There are two things I know for sure, Lee. You are a gift to your mother and me, an incredible gift, my little girl. I've always asked myself what is it that I have done to deserve you. With all that I've done wrong, I must have done something right in order to have someone as special as you. But then, you don't need me. You've always been a little independent soul that never _needed_ anyone to hold her hand. Not a boyfriend, not your friends, not even me."

Leah's eyes filled with tears as she said, "But I want you here. I want you to be a part of my future. I wanted you to see me get married, have a family, be happy. But you're not."

"I'll always be there, Leah, honey. No matter what decision you make, whatever path you choose, I will always be there. But everything that happens in your life is ultimately your decision. You have a long life ahead of you. I'm glad I was at least part of it for a while.

"'All the precious time, like the wind, the years go by. My precious butterfly, spread your wings and fly,'" Harry Clearwater quoted.

And with that, Leah's father disappeared.

All that was left for Leah to do was to make the most important decision of her life.

**

* * *

**

A/N: I thought I should just say everyone should listen to Bob Carlisle's song

_**Butterfly Kisses**_**. It makes me cry every time I listen to it, and I think it is really fitting for Harry and Leah's relationship as father and daughter (which I like to imagine parallels my own with my dad).**

**I know that some of you might be confused by Harry being the ghost of the future and not the past. Personally, I thought that he should be a significant character and that, despite that he is of Leah's past, he has an enormous impact on her future. He has been and always will be a huge part of her life.**

**And I should also apologize for not having updated in, like, forever. I'm sorry. One, only 12 people responded to my last demand of 15 reviews. Plus, I've been suffering from the worst—a combination of writer's block and ADOS. But now that school is finally done, I'm going to try really hard on finishing this story and starting up my new one. So if you guys are interested, put me on Author Alert and you should be notified of my new story.**

**Please review. I don't know if I did this chapter the justice it deserves. And I would really love to hear back from ya'll as to what you think about the story.**

**I'll try to update soon. It would probably be the last chapter of this story :'( But I'm considering an epilogue if enough people ask for it.**

**Yours,**

**innocent romantic**


	5. Peace At Last

And it's a sad picture.  
The final blow hits you.  
Somebody else gets  
What you wanted again.  
You know it's all the same,  
Another time and place  
Repeating history,  
And you're getting sick of it.

But I believe in whatever you do,  
And I'll do anything to see it through,  
Because these things will change.

—_Change_ by Taylor Swift

* * *

The sunlight shined through her bedroom window, waking Leah up. Of course. Only on Sam and Emily's wedding day would Fate bring the perfect sunshiny weather in order to show everyone that this union was meant to be.

Leah looked to her alarm clock. It read 8:15. She groaned as she realized that she had only forty-five minutes until Jake came to pick her up. Reluctantly, Leah pushed her blanket away and sat up.

Blinking at the sunlight, Leah realized something. The weight, the feeling of depression, was gone. She felt lighter and happier.

She shook her head. Was last night just a crazy dream? Or was it something real?

Only time would tell.

* * *

At 9 o'clock sharp, there was a knock at the door.

Leah calmly walked down her staircase in the customary button-down shirt and jeans with her bridesmaid's dress in tow. She took her time this morning in the shower and eating breakfast and was relieved to not worry about putting on make-up because of the cosmetologist that Emily hired. Leah just left her hair down and threw on a smile that wasn't actually forced. For once, just thinking about the wedding didn't make her cringe.

She opened the door to find the very prompt Jacob, and thus she smiled appreciatively at him.

"Hey, Jake. Ready to go?" she asked.

A small blush along with a look of confusion crossed Jacob's face as he took in Leah's happy demeanor.

"Wow, what happened to you?" he joked. "Were you abducted by aliens last night and given a lobotomy?"

If only he knew.

"Something like that," Leah replied with a sly grin. She shut the door behind her and locked it.

"Here you go." Jake held out a thermos of coffee. "I figured that you might need this."

Dang. The boy knew her well.

She gave a smile in thanks. "Come on, Kid. Let's face the music."

* * *

Leah looked at her reflection in the large mirror. The forest green bridesmaid dress really was flattering on her, despite her previous reservations. She twirled around and enjoyed the feel of the long skirt around her legs. Leah hadn't felt this free in a long time.

She heard a sigh from Emily, signaling that she finally got her dress on, so Leah turned around.

"Wow, Emily. They did a fantastic job," Leah remarked.

The beauticians really did a number on Emily and her bridesmaids. The blushing bride was absolutely stunning; Leah could barely see the scars on Emily's face. She only felt a slight twinge of jealousy as she saw Emily in her perfect wedding dress, getting ready to be married to her perfect man and have the perfect life. Emily was having the perfect fairy tale ending. Leah could only wonder if she would ever get hers.

"We're on in seven, girls," Emily's friend Anna said, interrupting Leah's train of thought. She jumped up out of her seat and ran out the door, presumably to make sure that the guys were ready. "Let's hustle!"

"Oh, Leah… It's finally happening! I can't believe it," Emily squealed. It seemed like nothing could wipe that smile off of her face. That is, until she saw Leah's less than enthusiastic smile.

"Lee, I need you to know something." Emily grasped her cousin's hand and held on tight, like there was no tomorrow. She took a few moments to collect her thoughts and then stared pleadingly into Leah's eyes. Emily finally whispered, "I know that I've told you this a million times, but I am so sorry. I never meant for any of this to happen. If I could go back and change everything, I would.

"But now, I love Sam. And I still love you. I know that this wedding has been hard on you, and it was unfair of me to ask you to be a bridesmaid after everything that Sam and I have put you through. But you're one of the most important people in my life. Nothing can change that. I just hope that you can forgive me."

Leah softened as saw the familiar warm and lively brown eyes of the same person that was her best friend. Emily wasn't any different. She was still the same girl that came over to play Barbie with her and talked about their futures with. And at that moment, Leah didn't feel any resentment for her.

"I _do_ forgive you, Em," Leah started. "I also should apologize. I know that I haven't exactly been the easiest person to deal with lately. I just think that I was laying all the blame in the wrong place. It wasn't your fault, nor was it Sam's." She paused. "I'm beginning to think that this was all just meant to be. It's fate.

"Fate has something better in store for all of us," she ended simply. "It just took me a while to realize it."

The tears in Emily's eyes triggered the emotions in Leah to well up.

Anna stuck her head in the door. "Everything is set. Are you ready, Emily? It's time."

Leah squeezed Emily's hand tightly for a moment, and then she let go.

"Come on. It's time for you to marry your soul mate," Leah said.

* * *

Everything was perfect. Looking into the sanctuary, Leah could see that everything was exactly as it should be.

The exact flowers decorated the pews, and her dream groom was waiting excitedly at the front. All of her family and friends awaited the beautiful bride. Everything was absolutely perfect.

Except that this wasn't her wedding. But she was more than happy to let Emily have this happiness because Leah knew that something better would come along for her.

She jumped at the tap on her shoulder. Leah turned around to see a concerned Jacob Black looking down to her.

"Are you okay, Lee?" he asked. "You don't have to go through with this if you don't want to."

Leah smiled serenely. "I am perfectly fine. Everything is exactly as it should be."

She smoothed down the skirt of her dress and picked up her white calla lily bouquet from the table. "Shall we?"

"We shall," Jacob laughed as he held out his arm to her.

The two took their positions in the procession line and waited. As soon as the music began, little Claire began her flower-tossing down the aisle. Paul and Erin, Emily's younger sister, proceeded down the aisle as well and were soon followed by Jared and Anna.

Leah took a deep breath before she stepped off with Jake. Walking down the aisle wasn't such a big deal, but her breath hitched just a little bit when her eyes caught Sam's.

For one moment, it seemed like they were young again. Like how it was before all this werewolf crap happened. For one moment, it was just the two of them alone in their own little universe as they told each other a million things without saying a word. For one moment, it was just Sam and Leah as they used to be.

But that's all it was. Just one moment. And Leah knew that it would be their last.

Leah withdrew her arm from Jacob's and took her place next to Anna. She was soon joined by Michelle, Emily's best friend and maid of honor, as Matt took his place as Sam's best man.

Excitement filled the air as everyone waited for the bride's appearance. The witnesses turned around and stood up as Emily began her walk down the aisle with her father.

As everyone stared at the bride in awe, Leah turned to glance at Sam. He was grinning goofily, and his eyes were completely filled with adoration. Everyone could feel the strong connection that pulled Emily to her waiting groom. Leah was relieved to notice that she felt differently about Sam. She didn't feel any resentment towards him, nor did she feel the same way about him anymore. _The past is the past,_ Leah thought._ And that's what it will always be—a memory._

She turned her head to see Sue sitting between Billy Black and Charlie. Sue met Leah's eyes with so much uncertainty that Leah felt guilty for having been so unpredictable the past few years. She felt guilty for how much she had let the pain consume her and how she barely knew her mother anymore. But Leah smiled at Sue, who smiled back immediately with tears in her eyes. Everything was going to change. Everything was going to be better.

Jacob caught Leah's eye. He was looking at her with a worried expression on his face, which Leah erased with a breathtaking smile. ­­­Jake blushed and shyly mirrored her smile.

For the remainder of the ceremony, Leah was filled with mixed emotions. She couldn't identify with any one word how she felt. Leah was one confused puppy.

As Emily and Sam said their vows and became Mr. and Mrs. Uley, a feeling of peace flooded through Leah. _This is meant to be,_ Leah thought. _This is fate._

She just couldn't figure out what fate had in store for her.

* * *

Forks and knives alike clinked against water glasses as Sam kissed Emily, his blushing new wife.

The reception was well under way when Michelle headed to the bathroom to throw up the contents of her stomach. Apparently, the maid of honor and the salmon did not mix well together. In light of the situation, Emily gave Leah a beseeching look, which she understood immediately as a plea to take over as maid of honor.

Matt had already given his witty speech about his lifelong friendship with Sam. Leah had always liked him. He could always make someone smile. When she had been dating Sam, Leah often had mood swings due to her PMS and would then take it out on Sam. Matt would always crack a stupid joke just to lighten the mood and to relieve his buddy. Leah thought back to when Sam had first started phasing and ignored everyone. Matt was incredibly persistent and managed to stay by Sam's side when nobody else could.

Leah grabbed her champagne glass and stood up. She took her fork and clinked it against the glass, drawing everyone's attention. Some people looked surprised to see her ready to give a speech. Suddenly, Leah felt self-conscious. Was it because something was on her face? Was it because she is the ex-girlfriend? She pushed those thoughts aside and cleared her throat. After taking a deep breath, Leah began.

"I know that it seems strange that I'm the one giving the maid of honor speech. Well, it wasn't supposed to be like this. Honestly, I'm just up here because Michelle is worshipping the porcelain goddess right now," she joked.

After everyone laughed, Leah sobered. "Actually, that's sort of what I wanted to talk about. What's supposed to be, I mean.

"I know that I'm supposed to give a big speech about how much I love Emily and how Sam is the best for her and how they will live a happily ever after. But I can't.

"I'm sure that everyone here knows the bittersweet story. Exactly three years ago—on this very day—I lost Sam, my first love, to my beloved cousin the moment that they looked at each other. It sounds bad, I know. I was bitter about it for a long time. But now, as I look at the two of them, I can't help but admit that they are perfect together. I think that this was for the best—the best for them and the best for me. I've forgiven them.

"I know from my own experience that Emily can't be with anyone better than Sam. He is just that amazing. And I know that Emily makes Sam so incredibly happy. They complete each other.

"It was fate for them to meet three years ago today. It was meant to be for Sam and Emily."

Leah's eyes swept over the crowd and stopped on Jake, who had an understanding expression on his face as he watched her. The ends of her lips curled up slightly to match his smile, which encouraged her to continue.

"When it comes to fate, you just never know what's going to happen."

* * *

Leah felt a large pang in her heart as she watched Emily and her father dance the traditional father-daughter dance to _Butterfly Kisses_. She thought back to the previous night's events and the time she spent with her father. It hurt her to know that she would never be able to dance with her own dad at her wedding.

The song ended, and Sam walked onto the dance floor to steal Emily away. For the first few moments of the song, the married couple had the floor to themselves. The magic and wonder of their perfection together was soon ruined, however, as more couples and children made their way onto the floor as well.

"May I have this dance?" Jacob asked, interrupting her reverie.

Leah looked up from her seat. He looked so hopeful, wearing his trademark shy smile that Leah could never turn down.

"Absolutely," she answered, smiling.

She took the hand that he offered and stood up. They made their way onto the dance floor as the deejay changed songs. It was a nice, slow tune. Jake placed his hands on Leah's waist, and she in turn wrapped her arms around his neck. They swayed together with a comfortable silence between them.

"So, how are you doing?" Jacob asked, interrupting the quiet moment.

"Aren't you getting sick of asking me that question?" Leah replied. "I'm just fine, thank you very much."

He shrugged. "Just making sure."

"Thanks for the concern though," Leah said awkwardly. "It's really nice of you to care so much."

"It's what I do. I care about y—I mean, I look after my pack," Jake said, covering his slip-up. "It's an Alpha thing."

She gave a small smile. "Sure, whatever you say."

Jacob looked unsure for a moment, not meeting her eyes. It was as though he wanted to say something, but he also felt that he should hold back. Finally, Jake looked up and said, "I care about you, Lee. A lot. You helped me through the whole Bella thing, so I kind of wanted to do the same for you."

Leah's jaw dropped ever so slightly. "That's so sweet, Jake. Thanks. You did," she murmured. "You're really amazing, you know that?"

"Did Leah Clearwater just give me a compliment?" Jake gasped, feigning shock.

Leah smiled a genuine, hold-nothing-back, Leah smile. And Jake looked absolutely dazzled.

"You're pretty damn amazing too, Leah Clearwater," Jake said softly.

Soon, the song changed to a fast-paced, Latin tune. Leah laughed. _What the hell is this deejay thinking?_ she thought.

Out loud, she asked incredulously, "Salsa? Really?"

Jake smiled mischievously. "What? You can't salsa?"

"Oh, I can salsa. I'm just worried about you."

"Uh-huh, sure. Try to keep up with me, Clearwater."

He grabbed her hands and pulled her close. Next thing Leah knew, they were dancing the salsa.

She kept laughing. It was great for Leah to just…_be_.

Leah felt free. Free of the burdens, free of the pain, and free of bitterness.

She made her choice to be happy.

For once, it seemed like Fate was on her side.

* * *

**A/N: That was it! The last chapter of **_**Ghosts and Fate**_**. It's kind of sad to be done with it. Hopefully, I managed to reach the high expectations some of you may have had.**

**I don't know if I should do an epilogue or not. I kind of like how this ended, but if you all want one, REVIEW and let me know :D**

**I worked extremely hard on this last chapter, tweaking and tweaking it over and over again. So I would really appreciate hearing what you have to say about it.**

**And, again, I will advertise my new story. It is another Leah story. Author Alert me or keep an eye peeled out for it.**

**Ever yours,**

**The innocent romantic.**


	6. Epilogue: Happily Ever After?

**AN: Okay, so the other day I basically finished this epilogue in 15 minutes. I got really excited and immediately posted it up. However, after re-reading it, I thought it was a bit too sappy for my taste. So I rewrote it. Hopefully you like it.**

* * *

Happiness doesn't even begin to describe what Leah Clearwater felt. No, what Leah felt was something beyond mere happiness. It was joy.

Joy is defined as the emotion evoked by well-being, success, or good fortune or by the prospect of possessing what one desires. And by the hairs on her chinny-chin-chin, that is exactly how she felt.

It had been five years since the wedding. And within those five years, Leah was able to rebuild her world.

College had been postponed because of her tribal "duties." However, Jacob had used his Alpha command on Leah in order to force her to take advantage of her full scholarship to the University of Washington. After four years, Leah completed her credits in order to earn her long-awaited degrees in communications and computer engineering.

Securing a decent job with Microsoft, Leah decided to stay in Seattle. She got herself an apartment downtown, right across the street from a Starbucks that she frequented every morning for her daily dose of much-needed caffeine.

Leah felt that Seattle was the beginning of her new life; she left her past in La Push, where it would stay. Despite the fact that she had forgiven everyone, Leah made it a policy of hers to return to visit her family about once every two months and on holidays—no more, no less. Of course, she couldn't deny that she was happiest when La Push came to her in the forms of Seth, Sue, or Jacob.

On one dreary Thursday morning, Leah was sitting on her rather large windowsill and staring at the raindrops pattering at the window. She couldn't help but wonder about one thing:

Despite all of her happiness and success…

_Something's missing_, she thought. _I have everything I've dreamed of—a career, a home. I'm the epitome of the independent woman. But it's still nothing in comparison to a fairy tale happy ending. _

Leah thought back to the night before she left for college, when Sue had thrown a farewell bash for her.

_Flashback_

"_Bye, Em! Bye, Sam!!" Leah called, as Sam and Emily walked back to their car. She turned around, closing the door behind her. Leah sat herself on the couch and let out a tired sigh. With the last of her guests gone at two in the morning, she could get a few good hours of sleep before she left._

_Leah jumped when she heard footsteps. She turned her head to see Jacob Black walking towards her from the kitchen._

_Annoyed that her peaceful slumber was to be delayed, Leah said exasperatedly, "I thought you left."_

"_Well, I waited to talk to you alone," Jacob said. "It's hard to tell your best friend 'good-bye' when there are a million other people around."_

_Conceding, Leah nodded and pointed to the spot on the couch next to her, which he took._

"_So?" Leah asked. "What is your 'special' good-bye?"_

_He hesitated. Cautiously, he started: "Lee, we've become really good friends these past few years. And, I'm going to miss you. A lot."_

_Leah snorted. "Don't even worry about it, Jake. Seattle is, like, four hours away. I'll come back every now and then to visit. Plus, now I have a web cam to video chat with, and we can still talk over Facebook. You won't even notice I'm gone."_

_Jake looked down and mumbled, "I'll notice more than you'll ever know."_

"_What does that mean?"_

"_I—uh…Well," Jake stuttered. "I really liked you, Leah. A lot. And a few months ago, I realized that I was in love with you."_

_He looked at her with concern as he waited to see Leah's reaction. Jake's face fell when he saw shock cross her face._

"_Jake," Leah started. "I really like you. But, I'm just not ready for a relationship._

"_I think that now is the time for me to focus on putting my life back together. Doing well in college and becoming successful are my main goals right now. And, I just don't think that I can balance those with romance right now._

"_I really hope you understand. Maybe one day we can work things out—after I've made something of myself. But now just isn't the time for me."_

_Jake looked up with understanding filled in his gaze. "I get it, Lee. I really do. I'll wait for you—for when you're ready."_

_He started to get up, but then thought better of it. Jake leaned over to Leah and—before she knew what was happening—pressed his lips against hers for a swift moment. _

_Jake stood up and walked to the door. As he grabbed the doorknob, Jake turned back to her and smiled._

"_I'll always be yours, Leah." _

_End of Flashback_

Leah's reverie ended when the knock at her door made her jump. She had almost forgotten that she was expecting company.

She opened the door to a smiling Jacob Black, to whom she couldn't help but return the grin.

"Hey, Lee."

Smiling shyly, Leah replied, "Jake. I am so glad you came. I was just thinking about you."

"Good things, I hope?"

"I have something to tell you."

The pieces of the puzzle finally came together.

* * *

**AN: Sorry about taking so long to update on this epilogue! It's been a busy summer. I'm debating on whether to post up a prologue to my new story, which is still untitled. If I do, it will post it up on this story so that I can get some comments as to whether or not people would want to read it. (And I am totally open to ideas as to what the title should be!)**

**So let me know what you think about this epilogue!**


End file.
